What's that building's formal connection to Carew, aside from being of a similar architectural style? It certainly would have been impressive if built.

 

I will see if I can take a picture of the display in the Carew's lobby.

This may sound like a strange question, but does anyone know of a website where I might find out how those cranes are lifted and lowered?  Perhaps some sort of diagram or video...?

This may sound like a strange question, but does anyone know of a website where I might find out how those cranes are lifted and lowered?  Perhaps some sort of diagram or video...?

 

It seems like a mystery but it's actually quite simple.  See the crane is initially put together using other tall cranes like those that lift into the air off a truck.  Then once it's gets high enough the crane is "self rising" meaning that once the crane attaches itself to the side of the building it's erecting, the tower crew will jack up the crawler crane section at the base or whereever it is to the bottom of the boom.  The cage fits on the outisde of the pre-existing crane section-imagine a sock on your foot. They then insert permanent pieces through an opening into the cage, bolt it down to the last piece, then raise the crane for the next peice.  In case none of this makes sense watch the video below:

 

 

I'm sure you can imagine a reversal of this process for the lowering of the crane. 

Incidently, the Central Trust tower also holds an obscure record: it is the tallest building in the world with a load bearing masonry curtain wall.

 

I don't think that's accurate. The tallest load-bearing masonry office building is Chicago's 16-story Monadnock Building, whose walls are over six feet thick at the ground floor. A curtain wall, by definition, carries no structural load but hangs off the frame like a curtain (hence the name). Central Trust is entirely supported by a steel frame, despite the appearance of heavy masonry at the ground floor.

 

 

I think what he meant was that the curtain wall supports itself. In most cases, it doesn't. Even in older buildings, the curtain wall was usually partially supported by the frame. In this case, the curtain wall is an entirely separate structural system that carries its own weight -- though it is attached to the frame for form, the weight of the masonry exterior is entirely supported by the masonry beneath it.

I know what he meant, and he's incorrect. The Central Trust curtainwall cannot support its own weight.

So the Carew Tower's long lost big brother was the Craine Tower a 1,022 ft. never completed Chicago skyscraper that would have been the world's tallest if completed.

 

I borrowed this photo from the UO galleries. This was the clearest photo that I could find. Then, in photoshop I drew a line from the roof of the building to the top of the flagpole. I copied that line to the side of the building, and found that the flagpole is about the same height as 6 stories. Granted, the flagpole is a little farther away from the side of the building. 

 

 

 

  Next, I calculated the average story height. Yes, I know that story heights vary.

 

  49 stories, 574' tall. Average story height =  11.7 feet.

 

  The flagpole is the equivalent of 6 stories. Height of flagpole = 6 x 11.7 = 70.2 feet.

 

Updated calcs

Carew

    Ground 550' M.S.L.

    574 ' building, to roof 1124' M.S.L

    Flagpole 70' +/-, 1194' M.S.L.

 

    QCS

    Ground 514' M.S.L

    660' building to top of tiara, 1174' M.S.L

 

    The top of the flagpole will apparently remain the highest point, by about 20 feet.

 

    I'm not trying to rain on anybody's parade. I just was just curious. I would still like to get a better measurement.

I need a more scientific analysis. And then if I do not agree with the results I will require additional studies. Get on that.

This may sound like a strange question, but does anyone know of a website where I might find out how those cranes are lifted and lowered? Perhaps some sort of diagram or video...?

 

It seems like a mystery but it's actually quite simple. See the crane is initially put together using other tall cranes like those that lift into the air off a truck. Then once it's gets high enough the crane is "self rising" meaning that once the crane attaches itself to the side of the building it's erecting, the tower crew will jack up the crawler crane section at the base or whereever it is to the bottom of the boom. The cage fits on the outisde of the pre-existing crane section-imagine a sock on your foot. They then insert permanent pieces through an opening into the cage, bolt it down to the last piece, then raise the crane for the next peice. In case none of this makes sense watch the video below:

 

 

I'm sure you can imagine a reversal of this process for the lowering of the crane.

 

That was exactly what I was looking for!  Very interesting video.  I somehow had this image in my head that they jacked the entire crane support up from the bottom.  I always wondered how it wouldn't tip over in the process, but now I see it's done from the top while the rest of the crane is attached to the structure.  Makes sense, now.

 

I appreciate your help, friend!

 

The flagpole is the equivalent of 6 stories. Height of flagpole = 6 x 11.7 = 70.2 feet.

 

Updated calcs

Carew

Ground 550' M.S.L.

574 ' building, to roof 1124' M.S.L

Flagpole 70' +/-, 1194' M.S.L.

 

QCS

Ground 514' M.S.L

660' building to top of tiara, 1174' M.S.L

 

The top of the flagpole will apparently remain the highest point, by about 20 feet.

 

I'm not trying to rain on anybody's parade. I just was just curious. I would still like to get a better measurement.

 

A flag pole is not part of the architectural design of the building therefore it shouldn't count when talking about the building's total height into the air. This is complete garbage; QCS is taller. No ifs, ands, buts about it! Why would they make the claim if the flagpole even mattered? I wish someone would cut that damn thing down anyway a "six story" flagpole? My goodness, seriously? Maybe I should call Mr. Gyo Obata and ask him to put a six story flagpole on top of QCS, that should alleviate your concerns. :roll:

 

    Of course the proposed QCS is taller. No argument there.

   

    Cheers.

 

 

Thanks for the photos!

Yea thanks for the pics! This tower is looking cool.  The curtain wall will really help it pop once finished.  I think naysayers are starting to realize how much better it's looking than originally thought.  A rendering can only show so much.

Has more curtainwall gone up today?

Has more curtainwall gone up today?

 

Um no, I don't think they work on the weekends.

Will there be a flag pole on top of the tiara?  With a big Union Jack? 

 

Civvik HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! ^

Look at how accurate Civvik's model is of QCSII from over a year ago compared to now as far as scale.  The building just looks out of place over there for some reason.  Most of those buildings look like concrete and this one looks well different. :wink2:

 

 

 

Now:

Image Credit: Johio

Came down 471 for the first time in 6 months tonight and the new building is quite impressive from that angle.  It totally reorients the skyline from that angle, since it already appears tallest.  We might see the city's postcard image shift to an angle from Newport as opposed to Covington. 

Try coming toward downtown from Columbia parkway. It's an awesome view of the skylines(Covington,Cincy) combined.

Working 37 Stories High

Over 500 feet above the ground Ironworkers Joe Dawson and Travis Thompson connect the structural steel for Great American Tower in downtown Cincinnati.

 

http://news.cincinnati.com/section/videonetwork?bctid=58081538001

I just noticed the Christmas tree with red lights on top of the core, SW corner.  Also, the steel frame is rapidly changing shape as they go up. It is now deviating from the norm and curving around the core.

Thanks for the vid.  Doesn't a tree on top traditionally denote the completion of the structural steel/concrete?  Maybe they mad an early exception this time with Christmas so close.

Thanks for the vid. Doesn't a tree on top traditionally denote the completion of the structural steel/concrete? Maybe they mad an early exception this time with Christmas so close.

 

I'm almost positive that a Christmas Tree at a construction site means that there have been no injuries so far.

Thanks for the vid.  Doesn't a tree on top traditionally denote the completion of the structural steel/concrete?  Maybe they mad an early exception this time with Christmas so close.

 

I'm almost positive that a Christmas Tree at a construction site means that there have been no injuries so far.

 

 

Rabbit Hash has it right.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topping_out

Came down 471 for the first time in 6 months tonight and the new building is quite impressive from that angle. It totally reorients the skyline from that angle, since it already appears tallest. We might see the city's postcard image shift to an angle from Newport as opposed to Covington.

 

Have you seen Cincinnati postcards lately?  I frequently fly out of CVG and they still have the postcard of the Tyler Davidson fountain covered in green slime before it was restored. ;)

Rob Alpern said:

The concrete core finishes up next week.  Steel topping out is scheduled

for mid-to-late January.  The tiara construction will start in the

spring and last for at least 3 months...finishing up in the summer.

It'll be a slow process.

 

 

Awesome news!  :clap:

Yea this is awesome news.  I heard the tiara construction will be a pain because of it's shape but should look great.

Pics from the end of 2009 (almost).  December 26, 2009.  My camera is breaking on me...this maybe my last photoshoot.  :x

 

 

Christmas Tree:

 

 

 

 

You can really see the Great American Tower at Queen City Square as you drive down Queen City Avenue towards the city.  Previously you could see Carew and a couple other peaks of towers, but this is now a very prominent part of the view as you drive down the hill.  Wish I would have grabbed a picture.

^On that note.  You can see the top of the core on I-75 in Erlanger and at Buttermilk Pike.  Form the discussion on this thread the underinformed might think that QCSII will only appear nominally taller than CT.  From these vantage points I mentioned the core alone looks as tall as CT!

Great American Tower concrete core nears completion

Business Courier of Cincinnati, December 28, 2009

 

The final floor of the concrete core of the Great American Tower at Queen City Square will be poured on Tuesday.  Once the steel skeleton of the building is finished in mid-January, preparation will begin for the installation of the distinctive tiara to top the tower. The tiara should be finished by June or July, Eagle Realty Group, the project’s developer, predicted in a news release.

 

Read full article here:

http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2009/12/28/daily2.html

So the core must go above 41 stories then...I guess the top floors are for maintenance and elevator shaft housings... :? What flipping floor are they on now. I could have sworn I counted up to 41, and the 42nd was under that plastic sheeting stuff. I'm confused.

By my count, the core is at 42 stories, the top mechanical mezzanine probably doesn't count as an official floor.  The sheeting is on floors 31 and 32, and it marks the floors that they are spraying the fire-proofing on the structural steel (so the excess doesn't blow out the side and onto the streets below).  This was my count as per this weekend, here's a photo from Friday night:

 

 

There will be 3 more floors on top of the steel you see here, that mark the final setback.  The tiara will sit on top of that.

Yeah but if they are adding one more wouldn't that be the "mechanical mezzanine", they would still have 1 extra floor? Or will it not be official since they didn't count the 13th floor? Nice pic btw!

 

Here's a photo from Union Terminal.

 

From this angle, QCS will be right in the center of the skyline.

http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2009/12/28/daily2.html

 

This link sez 650 parking spaces.  I think this statistic is a major misprint.  What is the official parking tally?

The QCS website lists the total parking for the entire COMPLEX at 2,350.  If memory serves, the garage of Phase I was 650, I could be wrong though.

i envy cincy for getting stuff like this and the banks done unlike cleveland who has yet 2 get building on the flats med. mart etc . uhhh its getting harder and harder to keep loving cleveland

at 10k a space that is 23.5 million for parking

at 20k a space that is 47 million for parking

I'll restate that I think this building looks the weakest from the I-75 hill/Devou Park, which has been the city's strongest view since the Carew Tower was built.  But the views of the skyline now from Newport, especially while crossing the bridges, and from I-71 south near Broadway Commons are now very impressive.  From that view the way the P&G twin towers create a symmetrical base is pretty unique. 

 

I do think that this building could motivate P&G to step it up with their own tower at some point.  As an executive for one of the world's largest companies, it will be difficult to drive to work every day with this monster looming over your previously high profile buildings.   

 

I do think that this building could motivate P&G to step it up with their own tower at some point. As an executive for one of the world's largest companies, it will be difficult to drive to work every day with this monster looming over your previously high profile buildings.

 

I've thought about this same thing ... The WORLD's 28th largest company (I think) ... has one of the squattest skyscrapers in the country?

^ I've thought the same thing!!!!! well let's think about the space surrounding QCS.  There's that parking garage.  But also there's the huge lots in front of where The Edge was to go.  Hmm who knows.  QCS will be awesome when finished.  Let the competition begin.

I don't care if P&G builds a tower or not, but I wish they'd build something in place of those huge lawns they have on Fifth Street, which completely suck the life out of the eastern end of downtown. It's like they tried to plop a suburban office park down into the middle of the city.

My guess would be the garden space opposite the Chiquita Building.  They could build a huge underground garage beneath that block's garden and the adjacent block if need be while leaving the existing buildings untouched. 

Doesn't P&G already have a lot of infrastructure underground in that area? But yes it would be nice to see them go for another tower.

They own most of the land on the blocks to the north across 6th St., that would be their likely building site in the future in my opinion.

I'm not that informed on P&G's needs but I think someone mentioned in another thread that they are allowing a portion of their workforce to work from home now.  This, to me, would not bode well for requirements of +500,000 sq ft of space that would be generated from a signature tower.  Thoughts?

 

For QCS, I think once this tiara thingy is on top, it will look significantly taller than CT.  I mean, the core looks as tall now!